Some Things Never Change
by prettiest in pink
Summary: A women from Remus’s past returns bringing with her a mystery that could return something lost as well as put all their lives at risk (OOTP SPOILERS!)
1. Elizabeth

Disclaimer: I own nothing (except maybe my school books, and technically they aren't really mine either), it all belongs to j.k. rowling (to whom I am forever in debt for writing about Harry Potter!)

Summary: A women from Remus's past returns bringing with her a mystery that could return something lost as well as put all their lives at risk.

Part 1: Elizabeth

_"__I'm drowning in nothing"  
_~Stabbing Westward__

He leaned against the side of the bed.  Buckbeak was sitting next to him; his long nose was inside the box examining the contents.  He had brought down the boxes from the attic hoping to find something worthy of giving Harry on his birthday.  So far he had been unsuccessful, stumbling first on a box filled with fake wands and fireworks and then a box filled with James's old clothes.  Remus knew Harry wanted his parents' old belongings, things to remember them by but old clothes were too much.  On his third attempt he had found a box filled with books and albums.  Finally something worthy.  Remus opened the first dusty album and found Lily's neat handwriting on the first page.

"_Hogwarts: Seventh Year"_

He smiled; Lily had a love for albums and scrapbooks.  It probably came from her muggle side.  He turned the page and found a picture of the four Marauders.  They stood still in this picture revealing that it was taken with a muggle camera, not a magical one.  Sirius was at the end, his eyes barley visible through the thick curtain of charcoal hair that covered his face.  Next to him was Remus who was smiling broadly at the camera and Lily.  James was next to him, his hand in his hair trying to make it messier than it already was.   And Peter was at the end, a sandwich in his hand and a blank expression on his face.  Peter was never really on top of things.  He was constantly relying on his fellow Marauders to make sure he had dressed himself properly in the morning.

He turned the page and found a picture of Sirius and James.  Both were pointing their wands at a distant object which looked like Severus Snape.  Remus smiled, they never missed an opportunity to wreak havoc on old Snape.  This picture, unlike the previous one was magical and Sirius's and James's wands were swishing back and forth.  Snape, who was off in the distance, kept jumping up grabbing his backside, looking around for whoever was hexing him.  Finally the two could not hold it in any longer and fell to the ground with laughter.

The next was of Lily and James off a little in the distance.  James was holding her close and was trying to win her over with his puppy dog eyes but Lily remained stiff.  They had been arguing over why Sirius and James felt the need to hex Severus every chance they got.  In the end Lily of course forgave him and gave him a small kiss on the cheek, which left James quiet in shock.

He turned another page and found another muggle picture.  This one had Peter on the end, the same dumbstruck impression on his face.  Lily was next kissing the boy next to her on the cheek, her green eyes shimmering in the afternoon sun.  James was standing not next to Lily but next to Sirius who was being kissed on the other cheek by James.  Remus looked up and couldn't help but laugh after looking at the expression on Sirius's face.  Remus secretly knew that Sirius had loved the attention.

He glanced down again and found something he hadn't expected.  There was a younger version of himself standing next to a girl with ebony hair which was rivaled only by Sirius's.  Her eyes were a vibrant cerulean that day.  They were never the same color blue, they were constantly changing shades.  Sometimes he felt they depended on her mood and other times simply on the time of day.  There was no pattern, or at least he had spent the better half of six years trying to find a pattern.  Her blue eyes were gazing endlessly into his own.  Somehow she found his golden honey eyes much more interesting than her exquisite blue ones.

He put the book down; there was not a moment in the day that he did not think about this girl.  About where she was, what she was doing, if she was still alive.  Now that Sirius was dead he highly doubted it.

He sighed and put the book back, and closed the box.  There was a reason he hadn't looked through the boxes James and Lily had given him, it hurt too much.  The pain of loneliness was like a searing knife cutting through him.

He had gotten used to the quiet, the silence in his life.  True, it was never truly quiet at the head quarters of the Order, and yet it was.  It was a different kind of silence, not the kind that occurs when no one speaks.  This silence was the kind that could only be chased away by the laughter of friends, and he had lost all of those.

  
~

"What's wrong with her professor?"  Remus said glancing at the pale women lying in the bed ahead of him.

"What happens to all empithimagus*, I'm afraid," Dumbledore paused and placed a hand on the werewolf's shoulder, "She is lost."

"I don't understand, lost?"  His eyes filled with tears, he had read of things like this.  When she had gone through her changes he had researched empithimagus with her.  He knew what "lost" meant but that couldn't be what Dumbledore was talking about.

"Remus, empithimagus share deep bonds with their loved ones.  The emotions they experience are most clearly visible to the beholder.  She feels Sirius's pain.  She is where he is."

"That doesn't make sense," he shook his head towards Dumbledore as he took a step back still keeping an eye on the sleeping beauty to his left.  Dumbledore had to be wrong, he couldn't have lost her too, "I mean her mother and father both have died.  Going by what you say, she should have died then.  Maybe it'll ware off.  She might just wake up."

Dumbledore shook his head, "You still do not understand.  They share a deep bond with their loved ones, she never loved her father.  And her mother, she was too young when she died-her powers were still asleep.  But now, now they are awake, Remus.  You must accept that as long as Sirius is in Azkaban, she will be in a place like Azkaban, simply without the dementors.  I am sorry Remus.  I wish there was something I could do."

And with that Dumbledore turned away and strode out of the hospital ward, wiping a single tear that had rolled down his cheek.

Remus turned to her.  Her once glimmering, hoping, loving eyes were now gone, lost.  They were such a deep shade of blue that one could almost mistake them for black.  He felt tears prickle his eyes as he went and sat by her.  She was curled up in a ball, tears balancing on the edges of her eyes, every once in a while rolling down her ashen cheeks.  Her raven hair spread across the pillow limply.  It did not glow anymore, she did not glow anymore.  He took her hand and squeezed hard, praying she would squeeze back, but there was nothing.  

He lay down next to her pulling her close, trying to wake her but she wouldn't.  "Please," he whispered, his voice thick, "don't leave me now.  I need you.  Please…"  He finally broke down and cried.  He had lost everyone, James, Lily, Peter, Sirius, and now her.

~

He heard the bell ring for the third time before he got up.  It was surprising that in a house filled with so many people, he was the only one who answered the door.  It was probably Snape coming to gloat about another one of his accomplishments.

He took the steps three at a time; he was a man with nothing to fear.  Death was his only friend now.  He reached the door out of breath and listening to Mrs. Black scream obscenities at him.  He sighed and opened the door.

There stood the women of his dreams.  Her eyes were navy, almost black, and still somewhat lost.  Her skin was paler than he remembered and her lips chapped, but it was her.

"I found you," she murmured hoarsely before collapsing into his arms.  He could feel the blood through her robes.

"Elizabeth," he whispered through his tears, Elizabeth.

*empithimagus: a wizard/witch with the ability to sense and experience what others feel.  They are also able to sense auras (if a person is good or bad) which are white or black and appear as a glow from the person.   (Made up entirely by the author for this story)

**A/N:** Please review, it really makes the writers day if you give them ur opinion (even if it's only a few words!)  I swear there will be a plot…you just have to wait a lil bit.  And I promise she isn't dead!

Quote at top is from "drowning" by Stabbing Westward


	2. Your Eyes

Disclaimer: once again I would like to remind all of u that I own **nothing**, so it would be pointless to sue me (come on, im in high school, like im gonna have any money!)

_Part 2: Your eyes…_

_"You never said forever, could hurt like this"_

~Sneaker Pimps

 "Don't move too much.  The healer Dumbledore sent wasn't the best, but we can only use those we can trust."

She thought it all a dream, that perhaps she was still in the cottage in the far north part of England, but she was not.  She felt a hand rest on her shoulder after gently caressing her hair.  She had missed his touch.  She had missed his voice.  She had missed him.

She leaned back down and opened her eyes to catch a glimpse of the man she had not seen in almost 15 years.  He was sitting on the edge of the sofa where she was lying down.  His head turned away from her, towards the wall with painting of the Black family lineage.  Even from their distance she could make out the spots where Rubella Black had burned names off the tapestry.  Her name had never been put on the tapestry, she had not been _worthy_ of such an honor.  She looked at Remus again.  His chin length hair fell covering part of his face.  The once rich brown locks were slowly turning gray, but not from age, rather the strain of his transformations.  She wondered if his eyes were still golden honey or if they too had grayed.

He looked towards her, after feeling her stare, and she felt the tears prickle her eyes.

"You're eyes Remus, they're still the same," she whispered in between the tears that streamed down her face.  It gave her comfort knowing that some things never change.

He gave a small smile and enveloped her in a hug that she had been longing for since she had awaken.

~

They sat in the darkest corner of the astronomy tower, James's invisibility cloak at their feet incase Miss Norris or Filch decided to show up.  Remus pointed his finger towards the night time sky and named the constellations.

"And that's the North Star, muggles use it to find out which direction is north if they ever get lost."

She smiled, "I would never be able to do such a thing.  Thank god there are spells which allow wands to find which direction is north!"  She laughed and laid her head on Remus's chest.  They were nearing the end of his seventh year, while she still had another year after this.  She didn't know if she could make it through a year without him, with out all of them.  They were all so much a part of her it scared her.  She shook her head and concentrated on the sky and what Remus was telling her.

"And that one there, off in the distance.  That's Sirius, the dog.  Ironic isn't it?"  She nodded and closed her eyes trying to let his heartbeat keep her mind at ease.

"What am I going to do without you Remus?"  Her question was unexpected as she waited for a reply but only received silence and Remus's arms tightening around her frame.  Remus was never quiet when a question was asked.  "Remus," she said quietly.

"The same thing I will have to do without you."  There was a smirk on his face that she could see in the light of the half moon.  Obviously he was trying to lighten her mood.  She followed his lead.

"And what would that be?"  She too smiled; these were going to be the things she would have to remember on lonely nights.

"Miss you so much that I might explode.  Write a letter for everyday we are apart until our owls die from exhaustion.  Count the days, minutes, hours, seconds we are apart.  Bug everyone and anyone who comes near us about how much we miss the other…"

"You know what, that is exactly what I was planning to do."  They both collapsed into giggles in each other's embrace.

"Lumos," he whispered and brought his wand near her face.

"What are you doing?" She asked, a bit surprised by his actions.

"I want to see what color your eyes are." 

The light from wand was enough to clearly illuminate her pale face.  Her raven hair fell softly on her shoulders and she wore a red stain on her lips.  He leaned in, trying to narrow down the shade that her eyes had taken.

"So, what color are they?"  She said impatiently.  She knew that when she was happy her eyes became a clear light blue and sometimes when she was afraid they turned a light navy color but they did not always reflect her mood.  She had decided there was no pattern.  There were so many shades that her eyes took on that she had forgotten what they looked like at times.

"They're like a river," he began in awe, "clear and cool.  I can see rapids but I can see the peaceful water too.  The sun is shining causing it to look like crystal.  And the water doesn't look cold like real rivers; it's simply warm and inviting.  You can't just look at it without wanting to dive in and forget about the world.  It's like finding home after a long night's journey.  They're just like the rest of you, beautiful."

She blushed and brought up her wand and whispered "Lumos" as he had.  She brought it close to his face and gazed into his eyes.

"There's nothing special about my eyes Elizabeth," he said as he turned his face back to the night sky.  She 

She shook her head.  She used her free hand to bring his gaze back into her eyes and continued to stare deeply into them.  She waited a moment, trying to find the words before she began.

"They're like a meadow in the fall, Remus.  I can see the golden grass growing and feel the wind gently brush my back.  I can feel the late summer sun still warming everything and giving it life.  But its like the sun is setting too, creating a vibrant yellow and orange sunset that blends into the grass.  And everything shines, Remus, like gold.  And they are sweet, like honey, and make you want to never stop looking.  Once you've looked, you never want to stop gazing into them.  They look into your soul Remus, and it's our future," she finished out of breath.  It had been so easy to describe what she saw in his eyes it scared her.

He shook his head again, "They're nothing special Elizabeth.  They're wolf eyes, nothing as exquisite as you described…"

He was cut off by Elizabeth's hand on his mouth.  There were tears glistening in her eyes which had turned a slightly darker shade.

"They're your eyes Remus.  And that makes them the most exquisite thing in this world."

She leaned in and kissed him softly.  He could feel her tears against his cheeks.   He pulled away for a moment wiping her tears.

She smiled, "Anyways, my eyes aren't nearly as interesting as your golden-honey ones are."

He laughed and shook his head before kissing her while pulling the invisibility cloak up to cover their bodies.

~

"Wait, I don't understand.  She's an empithimagus?  What are those?"  Harry looked at the women sitting on the couch, a cup of tea in her hands.  Both Ron and Hermione's mouths were wide as galleons.

"Oh my gosh, an empithimagus.  They're, they're, they're so rare, like one every century, sometimes longer.  And even if there are more they usually die before they reach adulthood," Hermione said, her mouth still open wide.

Harry began to get angry, it was like everyone was laughing at a joke he had never heard.  "What the bloodly hell is an empithimagus!"  He screamed.

"Don't be angry Harry.  I'll tell you what it is.  I mean, I am one, I should be best able to describe it," Elizabeth said as she placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, "An empithimagus is a wizard or witch with the ability to read emotions.  They can feel what another person is feeling, sometimes miles away.  They can also sense auras.  But these auras aren't like the ones in divination; these are much more concrete, much more reliable."

Now Harry's mouth was like Ron and Hermione's.

She stepped away from Harry and looked at Remus who stood near her.  "He's got Lily's eyes and James's face.  It's like Lily's soul with James's spirit," her voice was distant, as though she were either trying hard to remember something, or forget.

"You knew my parents too?"

A smile replaced the look of sadness she wore as she shook her head.

"Elizabeth is Sirius's sister."

"What!"  The three soon to be sixth years exclaimed.

"But Sirius never mentioned he had a sister.  I mean he said he had a brother.  And her name isn't on the family tapestry," Harry tried to continue but found himself overwhelmed with emotion.  He had not said Sirius's name since what had happened at the Department of Mysteries.

"Don't feel guilty Harry.  It wasn't your fault.  You could not help Sirius," she said through the tears that ran down her face.  She slowly walked back to the couch and picked up her cold tea.

Harry was shocked that Elizabeth had sensed his guilt; so far no one had thought he would feel guilty for what happened at that night.

"The reason Elizabeth is not on the tapestry is because Elizabeth is Sirius's half sister.  The product of an affair Bowen Black had.  When Elizabeth's mother died she sent her here thinking they would take her in with open arms.  Sirius's mother was not happy when she found out about her husband's affair and Elizabeth.  Especially after learning Elizabeth's mother was muggle-born.  They took her in but never treated her like they did Regulus.  Her and Sirius grew close, though, both being disliked immensely by the two elder Blacks.  Elizabeth has been 'lost' since," Remus paused again after noticing Harry's lost expression, "Harry, being lost is like being asleep.  When someone an empithimagus is related to is injured or imprisoned, in this case, they feel it too.  Elizabeth felt what Sirius felt when he was in Azkaban."  He looked to Elizabeth, whose shoulders were now sagging.  He knew this hurt her.  "After Sirius left Hogwarts, after meeting you that night Harry, I took him to St. Mungo's to see Elizabeth, but the nurse there had told us she had left hours earlier.  Dumbledore told us later that Elizabeth needed time alone.  I suppose Sirius was a little angry at Elizabeth for leaving like that, without seeing him.  I mean, after what he had been through, he thought Elizabeth would understand the most.  When he didn't see her he was probably a little angered.  He always had a temper…" Remus chuckled and shook his head before continuing "and that's probably why he didn't mention her to you Harry," Remus sighed and couldn't help but notice the slight hint of anger in his own voice.  He glanced again at Elizabeth and remembered how long Sirius had been in Azkaban and what little time he had after his imprisonment had ended.

Elizabeth tried to hold it in as she felt their stares hit her back.  She knew the response quiet well by now.  It was automatic and she would have to pretend like it did not affect her.  She picked up the tea, her hands shaking.  There was some anger in them, too.  She could feel Harry question whether things would have been different if she had been around while Sirius went crazy from boredom in this house, if she could have stopped Sirius.  She wondered the same thought.  She had noticed Remus's tone, too, and would have given anything to be able to read him.  To know what he felt, desired, dreamed.

She let the tears go, knowing she could not hold them any longer.  She could feel their pity, their sympathy, their anger.  She could feel it all.  And for some reason, she could feel Sirius too.

~Please review J 

~oh yeah, everyone that reviewed earlier gets **HOME MADE COOKIES!!**

*hands out **_burnt_** cookies (hey, I never said they would be good :)

Thank u's to: Twinkle3, Calliope Jones, and jkw1588 (my heroes!!)


	3. The Best Thing

Disclaimer: if I owned it, would I be sitting here writing on fanfiction.net?

_Part 3: The Best Thing…_

_"Nobody said it was easy   
No one ever said it would be so hard"_

_~_Coldplay__

 "I assume she is staying here now Remus." Remus nodded at Dumbledore's comment but his thoughts were some place else.  He had so much on his mind he was afraid it would never make sense.  But then again, things with Elizabeth rarely made sense.

"I want her well guarded Remus, she mustn't leave the house.  I had underestimated the death eaters before; I shall not do it again…"

"Is this not a conversation I should be privy to?"  Elizabeth asked from the doorway where she stood.  Her raven hair fell perfectly on her shoulders framing her face, as usual, and Remus felt the usual twinge of desire.  She had been listening the entire time.

"My dear Elizabeth.  I daresay you are in good health," Dumbledore said taking her hand and examining her with a smile on his face, "I know the healer I sent was not the best but Poppy said he is one of ours."

Elizabeth nodded, smiling gently, "He was pure, and extremely hopeful.  I assume he felt that I was a test for him."

He nodded, "It is difficult to tell who is on our side but we must make do with what we have," Dumbledore said, a smile still on his face.  He wished that this horror had not affected the children he had known so long ago, but they were no longer children, and they knew as much as he did about the terrors of this world.

"I want to help with the order again," Elizabeth began, "I want to read people, see if they are pure.  It'll be much easier than simply judging them like this," she said taking Dumbledore's hands and stared into his all-knowing eyes, "I need to make things right or at least try."

"I wish I could allow you to, and perhaps there was a time when I would have.  But not now, not after what happened to you.  It is obvious that the death eaters and Lord Voldemort are looking for you.  Elizabeth, you must understand that having an empithimagus puts us a step ahead of Voldemort, but if you were to fall into his hands we would be at a great loss.  As much as we may need your help in the Order, I feel you will be a much safer and a better help here.  Possibly you and the children can finish cleaning this old house.  Merlin knows this house could use a wash," Dumbledore said as he waved his wand around causing all the dust bunnies that were hidden to creep out.

"I cannot simply sit here and do nothing.  I refuse to.  What is the point of being an empithimagus when I am not allowed to do anything for the Order?"

Dumbledore smirked, "We can continue this later, as of now I am late for a meeting.  Tell Molly I am sorry for not staying for dinner, Shepard's pie is one of my favorites but alas duty calls."  And with that Dumbledore apparated.  Only she and Remus were in the room but with Remus's prolonged silence, she felt all alone.

"I can't just stay here Remus.  I have to help.  Just like you, and, and everyone else," she meant Sirius, but she could not bring herself to mutter his name in front of a grieving man.  She knew she had made a mistake, and it was time to correct it, as best she could.

"You did not seem to care when Sirius needed you.  Or when he thought he was going insane in this house.  He hated it as much as you did Elizabeth, and you did nothing to help.  And now, now when it's too late you feel obligated by some memory of Sirius to help," he had not meant to be so harsh but he could not bear to hear her talk of helping when the time was too late.  It was too late for the man he considered to be a brother.  It was too late for a soon to be sixteen year old who had lost the person closest to a father to him.  It was too late.

And yet he regretted his words immediately once the tears formed in her eyes and they became a darker blue.  But there was still some truth in his words.  He hated hurting her.  He always wanted to protect her, but it had been a long time since he had cared for someone in such a deep way.  He almost forgotten how to, and the fear of being hurt kept him quiet.

She turned from him his squared shoulders, oh how she wished she could read him.  But then again she did not need her powers to feel the anger which radiated from him.  He had a right to be upset but somehow she had imagined him to be more understanding.  Maybe it would take time.  "Remus.  I…I never meant to hurt anyone.  I made a mistake.  I never meant for this to happen.  It just, it just did.  And I'm sorry," She turned around to find herself in an empty room.

She sobbed loudly, it had been so long.  She buried her face in her hands; perhaps it had been too long.  She went and sat down on the sitting chair which was a favorite of her father.  She was not allowed to go near it when she was younger.

She shivered a little looking around the empty room filled with her mother's possessions.  It did not feel so long ago that she had been in this house, since she too had been a prisoner of it, since she had been set free, buy maybe it had.

~

She walked with her two fellow Gryffindors up to the doors of the Three Broomsticks.  Today was her day, nothing would ruin it.  Not even the fact that Remus, Sirius, James, Lily, and Peter could not come see her because they had Order business to take care of.  She smiled as she reached for the door, only a few short months and she too could help them.

"Surprise!" Everyone inside shouted.  She was taken back.  All her friends and the little family she was willing to acknowledge, or rather what little family was willing to acknowledge her, was inside the Three Broomsticks.  All around were signs which read happy birthday and at the largest table sat Remus, Sirius, James, and Lily, all of whom were wearing silly muggle birthday hats.  She smiled as she felt the tears roll down her cheeks.

"I thought you guys couldn't make it, Dumbledore told me last week," she said as she took a seat next to Remus.

"We pulled a few strings with Dumbledore.  You know that Hogsmeade weekends don't usually fall this time of year but I'm willing to do anything for my little sister," Sirius said leaning across the table and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Elizabeth glowed, all she could feel was the happiness of the people around her and it began to envelop her, erasing the unease from earlier.

-*-

Remus searched the crowded room, as people left more came in to enjoy the festivities and soon everyone had been lost in the rush.  He could see Lily's red hair across the room and James's messy locks near them.  Sirius was by the bar talking to a young witch with pale blonde hair. Typical, he thought.  Elizabeth, on the other hand, was no where to be found.  He quickly glanced around the room again and decided to look outside.

He stepped outside and felt the soon to be winter winds attack him.  Already he could feel things begin to unwind and prepare for a long cold winter.  He glanced down the street and found Elizabeth sitting on bench at the side of the road.  Her expression was pained and her hands fell limply in her lap.  She was so lost in thought she had not even noticed him come and sit next to her.

"Are you ok?"  His question was simple, but a simple response was not what he expected.

"Yes," she whispered, lying through her teeth.  It was her day; nothing would ruin it, nothing….

"You know I don't have to be an empithimagus to feel that something's wrong Elizabeth.  Just tell me.  It wasn't Malfoy, was it?"  His last comment dripped with hatred and she could feel the wolf in him, but that was all.

She shook her head, a resounding no.

He wrapped his arms around her, protecting her from the coming cold, "Then what is it?"

She did not know where to begin.  This was supposed to be the happiest day of her life, the day she would be free, the day it all ended.  But it felt like it was just beginning.

"When you look at me Remus, what do you see?"

He was puzzled by her question, what did he see? Wasn't it obvious?  "I see you."

She shook her head again, "Do you see something wrong Remus?"

He pulled her closer, "No, you're perfect."

"I can't be," she whispered through her tears, "I actually cared for them Remus.  And I swear at times I felt like they cared for me, I thought it might even be love Remus.  Love," she laughed bitterly.

"Who're you talking about Elizabeth?"  He still asked though he knew the answer.  Those retched people who had caused so much pain to both her and Sirius.

 "Dumbledore called me into his office before I left Remus.  He said all my belonging had arrived this morning along with a letter addressed to him.  They have banished from their family.  They packed all my possessions and sent them here.  I am never allowed to set foot in their house again," she paused, trying to find words, "I spent seven summers there Remus, and through it all they hated me.  There must be something wrong with me.  Things like that do not happen to normal people."  She leaned against his chest, allowing her tears to dry on his crisp white shirt; he had worn new robes for her.

"No Elizabeth, there is nothing wrong with you.  It is they who are wrong.  They spent seven summers with you and they still could not figure out what a treasure you are.  They do not matter.  Elizabeth, you are of age finally," he said while cupping her face in his hands, "You are free, you are no longer bound to that evil house.  Do not dwell on them.  They knew leaving their house would make you happy, they wanted to ruin that.  They are not good people Elizabeth; they survive on the hurt of others.  Do not let them do this to you.  Do not let them know you have questioned your worth.  That door has shut, and a new one has opened."

He kissed her gently.  "It is there loss that they do not realize what a wonderful person you are," he looked deep into her eyes, banishing her fear.  "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me," he whispered into the crook of her neck as he embraced her on the cold park bench.  The best thing…

~

She dried her tears and went into the kitchen to help Molly.  She did not know if she could help, all she knew was things had changed, and her perhaps the best things in life, turn out to be the worst…

~please review

~sorry it took soooo looooonnnnggg! Ive had this chapeter written for like ever, but it feels incomplete but since im all out of ideas for adding anything to this chaper,  i decdied to just post it (hopefully it isnt as bad as I think!)

~Thanks to my reviewers (Twinkle3, George is hot-MrsMoony, and Calliope Jones) who, as always, are my heroes and get **brownies.  Yay, this time they're not burnt!! (that's b/c their store bought, but don't tell anyone! ;)**

~To: George is hot-MrsMoony, I understand that George is hot, but Fred's not?  Just wondering :)

~song credit: "the scientist" by coldplay


	4. Into You

Disclaimer: i own nothing (man that sounds depressing!)

a/n:  what do  u guys think of the new user name? i was tired of the old one  and wanted to try something new.  i might go back to lucky estrella but for now it's gonna be pretty in pink (but don't worry, its still the same ol' me!)  hopefully i will have a moment and sit down and write the next chapter over this weekend and have it up by next week, but we'll see (I could use a lil encouragment *wink)  hope u enjoy!

Part 4: Into You

_"Well you'll never find it  
If your looking for it"  
_~The Used__

A strange tension filled the house, but no one said anything because the matter was for Remus and Elizabeth to discuss amongst themselves.  Harry, Ron, and Hermione had heard Remus and Elizabeth's last conversation or, rather, the lack of conversation to be more precise.  Harry had been extremely thankful to Fred and George for leaving a few extendable ears for Ron and his friends to eavesdrop on important conversations.  The two of them had also joined the Order, after Mrs. Weasley had given up on trying to convince them otherwise.

Other than the argument, though, things had been quiet.  Dumbledore had not come since his last visit, though he had told Harry he would come see him to discuss an important issue.  Snape too had not come for quiet some time, but Harry had been grateful for that.  He did not want to think about returning to Hogwarts until the time was necessary.  Memories of Umbridge and her cruelty still lingered in the halls of Hogwarts in his mind.

He and Elizabeth had talked once, while they were alone cleaning the formal dining room.  He could tell she was nervous, and every time she opened her mouth to talk to him, tears began to form in her eyes.  She had barley made it through a simple conversation about how Harry's summer schoolwork had been going.  As soon as Ron and Hermione returned with tea, she quickly fleeted, but not before Harry saw the tears run down her checks.  She reminded him of Cho, with her constant crying.  Harry wanted to talk about her with Remus, but Remus had kept himself busy with Order business and locked himself in the old library for hours on end.  If it was not for his two friends, Harry felt he might have died from boredom.  That was of course before Remus fell upon Elizabeth's pensieve.

~ ~ ~

Remus left the library, this time he had been in there for a little over five hours.  He did not know exactly why he was locking himself in there, day after day, but he did know that with each book he completed, he was able to push his pain further away.

He only left late hours, when he knew the house was sleeping.  A few nights Elizabeth had asked to speak to him but she gave up eventually and left him alone in his misery.  He had been tempted to open the door, but his pride and fear kept him in the plush leather chair.  It was not until after he had heard her light foot steps creep up the stairs did he exit.  He would put his hand against the wall where she would sit with her knees pulled in and her head resting on them.  He would try to convince himself that if she really cared she would have waited longer for him, but inside he knew waiting three hours was more than enough.  He was simply too arrogant to admit defeat to her.

Tonight he had not even heard her foot steps pace outside the door or hear her body slid down the wall to her resting position, perhaps she had finally given up on him.  He had finally succeeded in pushing the last person who cared for him away.

'Congratulations Remus, you're alone again,' his better half whispered and he felt the wolf growl inside.  It didn't like being wrong.

He saw a light on in the back study, the one which had been off limits at one time because it held all of Bowen Black's books on the Dark Arts, it had been given to Regulus in his will but Regulus did not live long enough to enjoy them.   Most of the books were gone now, Sirius had thrown them out in a desperate effort to rid the house of the evil which possessed it, but the house was born evil, and so it would remain.

He pushed the door open to find a cramped room with empty book shelves.  There was a desk in the middle of the room and the Black family crest hung on the wall behind it, between the sets of book shelves.  There was something shimmering in the corner of one of the empty book shelves.  It was a bowl with simple drawing along the side, and the silver liquid inside was a dead give way that it was pensieve.  If only he knew whose.

He walked to it, he wasn't going to look at the memories simply catch a glimpse of whose they were, and then inform them that anyone could stumble upon them with little difficulty.

He gazed in and saw a head of dark hair from the back.  'Sirius,' he thought for a moment, 'No, it was Elizabeth.'

Before he knew what was happening he was falling into the memory and he was standing next to the young girl.

She sat on her bed, the bedroom at the top of the stairs, furthest from Bowen and Rubella's room.  Her long black locks fell swiftly on her shoulders and her eyes shimmered in the mirror.  She had a brush in her hand, which occasionally swept through the long layers, but mostly she stared into the reflection of herself.  He heard someone at the door and found the tall and thin outline of Rubella Black watching the young girl.  A smile was present on her face, something which shocked Remus.  Rubella was not known for her smile.

"I always wanted a daughter, but I had two sons instead.  I suppose you will be the closest thing I will ever have to a daughter," Rubella's voice was low, so low that Remus had to strain to hear.  Or perhaps it was simply shock from what he was hearing.

Rubella made her way across the small space and took the brush from Elizabeth's hands and gently brushed her hair, "Your hair is like Bowen's, dark and rich.  My sons have his hair too.  None were given my deep golden locks.  I suppose it is family tradition," she paused; Remus thought for sure she had drank too much fire whiskey, "You are so beautiful.  If I had a daughter, she would be like you.  She would be beautiful, but her mother would not be a mudblood.  She would have been pure.  Worthy of this house."

And with that Rubella gave Elizabeth a kiss on her forehead, and left the room.  Remus saw Elizabeth tense at Rubella's touch.  He could tell she was half afraid, and half surprised.  Rubella Black tended to ignore her husband's illegitimate child.  He slowly walked towards her and saw the tears running down her checks.  This was the closest thing she felt to love while living in that house.  Rubella Black telling her she was beautiful and that her mother was filth.

The scene suddenly blurred and Remus felt himself thrown into another memory.

He could see Elizabeth standing at the base of the steps.  She looked so small in the large house.  She was wearing dark blue robes which brought out the color of her eyes which matched.  Her hair was open and fell gracefully on her shoulders.  Something was wrong, Elizabeth wasn't allowed to have her hair open when at home, it symbolized being poor and filthy.  Elizabeth's mother may have been muggle-born but as long as she was in the Black house she had to maintain her honor.  The only time it was allowed to be down was in her room.

Her gaze was towards the floor and her shoulders sagging.  He could feel the tension in the air.  It was the calm before the storm.

He glanced down the long hallway and he could see the large outline of Bowen Black.  Bowen Black was of large built but was not fat.  Rather, he was well built for a man of his age.  He was good five inches taller than Sirius, the tallest of the Marauders, and even caused some fear to grow in Sirius's belly when he was filled with anger.  Remus looked around again; he was standing by the front door, near the steps.  The portrait of Mrs. Black that was hung on the wall opposite to him was not there yet and only a small coat closet was present.

"He's gone," Remus jumped as he heard the familiar shriek of Mrs. Black, "And I bet that dirty daughter of a mudblood knows where he is.  How dare he, after all we have given him."

Remus knew trouble was coming; this was the day Sirius had left Grimmauld Place.  He remembered Sirius's plan of leaving in the middle of night.  He told no one, not even Elizabeth, and made James and himself promise not to tell anyone.

"We have been everything to that boy for 16 years, we have clothed him, fed him, and given him everything he has desired, and now, now he decides to leave in the middle of the night.  How dare he disrespect us in such a way."

Sirius's family was still ruled by the tradition of the old days.  Sirius's running away was a blemish on the Black reputation.  How could Rubella Black show superiority over the other members of her club when she could not even control her own family?  She could never show her face at the dinner parties held by the magical elite.  Remus almost wanted to laugh at the world Rubella Black had boxed herself into but he had seen the tears shine in Elizabeth's eyes and knew this was no joking matter.  Elizabeth never talked about when Sirius left, leaving the Marauders to speculate over what occurred that day.

Rubella hurried down the stairs.  She was thin and tall with long curved fingers which dug into skin and could leave permanent marks.  Sirius had quiet a few souvenirs from her hands.

"I know you know!  Where did he go?  Off with that blood traitor?  Those Potters, they will be the first to go.  And your brother will go with them.  Where did he go?"  She yelled at Elizabeth.  She reached towards her and shook her violently, "Where did he run off to?"

Elizabeth quivered as the realization set in, Remus could see it in her eyes.  Everything suddenly had become so real.  Sirius always talked about leaving Grimmauld Place but to actually go through with it.  Remus knew in that moment Elizabeth had realized that Sirius was gone forever, and she remained bound to the house.

"Where has he gone to, you ingrate!?  You are not fit to live in this house, and I have let you.  I have taken you in, treated you like one of my own.  And this, this is how you repay me."  Rubella's voice shook the foundation of the house and Remus as well.  She pushed her away as Elizabeth limply fell against the wall.

"I, I don't know where he is.  He didn't tell me."  She whispered, desperately trying to find strength, "I don't know…"

Rubella hurried down the hall and turned Bowen to face her, "She knows, I swear it.  She is protecting him, or so she believes.  He is our son, and he has no right to leave.  No right!"  Rubella screamed again, causing the bile in Remus's stomach to rise.

Remus saw Bowen's outline straighten and come towards Elizabeth who stood where Rubella had left her.

"I took you in.  I gave you part of what I had because I had made a mistake with your mudblood mother.  I hoped you would be true to your blood, the pure blood which has been mixed with dirt.  But you have chosen another path.  If you do not want to tell where your brother has gone, be it.  But you will not live the life you have so far.  If Sirius does not live in this house, you will know none of the comforts you knew before."

And with that Bowen took a hold of Elizabeth's upper arm, grasping it tightly enough to leave bruises which would take weeks to fade, and dragged her towards the hall closet.

Elizabeth's muscle tensed and she struggled against Bowen's strong grip, but he was much stronger than she, and there was little hope.

"I hoped you would be better than your mudblood mother, but you have proven her blood runs through your veins," Bowen roared over Elizabeth's pleads as he closed the closet door, with Elizabeth inside.  He pulled out his wand and placed a silencing charm on the closet, making it impossible to hear Elizabeth's cries for release.

Remus walked towards her and placed a hand on the door, feeling the slight vibrations of her pounding on the door, but that too stopped.

With a jerk he was brought from that world and back into the present with Elizabeth standing in front of him, tears still in her dark blue eyes.

"You have no right Remus.  No right whatsoever to look at my memories, to see what is inside me.  You have made your choice, so let me be…" Elizabeth began but was quickly stopped when Remus's arms wrapped around her frame and muffled her voice.

She tried to stay strong, to remember that things were different, but at times she felt like she was still in that tiny closet, locked from the world and only Remus made what was real, real again.  Only he could make it all better and soon her words became muffled sobs which filled the small room.

Remus didn't know how long he held her, but he waited for her sobs to subside and her breathing to return to normal, before he began.

"I'm sorry Elizabeth.  I should have thought before I said everything to you.  I should have realized this is hard for you.  I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair, taking in deep breaths of her essence, of her being.

She stiffened in his arms and he knew what she was going to ask, and he still did not have a reply.

"Can you forgive me for not returning?"

The room filled with silence, and this was enough for Elizabeth to know Remus's reply.  She wanted to leave, but her muscles refused.  They stood there nervously, waiting for the other to speak and eventually Remus's hushed voice filled the room.

"You are asking too much of me Elizabeth.  If that is what you desire, I cannot give it to you," he turned to leave but felt Elizabeth reach for his hand.

"I want you Remus, just to be able to feel your breath against my neck, to feel your arms holding me safe.  I just want to feel safe again Remus, not even happy, just safe."

He kissed her forehead and nodded, this was something he could do…

~Ooo…wow…that was sooo much more melodramatic than what I planned (but I cant bear to cut any of it)

As always I want to thank all my reviewers:

**sexiglassesSNOG**: if u wrote something i would definetly read it! thanx for the review, it really gave me confidence!

**jkw1588**: i knew u couldn't wait so  i tried to update asap! hope u didn't have to wait too long :)

**Bell**: thanx for reading my story (maybe me updating will convince u to add to ur wonderful story soon)

**Psyhconut**: thanks for the bribe (chocolate always makes ppl update sooner!) hopefully me updating will get u to add another chappie too!

Song credit: "Blue and Yellow" by the Used


	5. to Read, or Not to Read

Disclaimer: what r u gonna do if I say I do own harry potter?? Huh?? That's right, ur not soo tuff r u? j/k…please don't sue me :)

a/n: finally…an update…hopefully I still have readers :)

Part 5: to Read, or Not to Read?

_"We don't even have pictures  
Just our memories to hold"_

~John Mayer

Remus became busy in the coming weeks after the full moon.  It appeared that with the ministry admitting knowledge of Lord Voldemort's return, more people were willing to believe in the Order.  Cornelius Fudge seemed to have more credibility than the young Harry Potter, which would seem rational but was the exact opposite.  Cornelius Fudge had denied Voldemort's return even with evidence right under his pig nose, Harry Potter on the other hand had battled and survived to tell the tale to the world, to warn them and tell them to prepare.  The world was full of those who would rather not know, even if it meant losing their life.  The world was a horrible place, or so it seemed much of the time.

She grew lonely in the large house.  Her head throbbed more often and at times she could not even block out the emotions of the world.  She would feel joy and pain, love and hate all at once, all tearing into her.  She had owled Dumbledore who had replied it was only stress and that she should take rest.  But she knew it was more.  It was her pain, and rest would do no good.

The Weasleys along with Hermione had returned to the Burrow for the week to ensure no suspicion fell on them, the Order was still as secretive as before the Minister of Magic admitted Voldemort's return.  Harry had gone with them, after making sure she would be alright in the house all by herself.

He was a nice boy; so much like Lily it was unbelievable.  The amount of concern that filled him awed her.  Even Lily had not been so compassionate.  And who was he worried about?  The lost sister of his dead godfather.  He had no reason to ask her permission, yet he did.  She smiled and nodded telling him to go pack his trunk.

She regretted her decision now.  She wanted Harry's happiness, and being with friends was his happiness, but now she felt so alone in the large house.  Occasionally an Owl would sweep down the chimney bringing news from different members but mostly she spent her time cleaning the house alone.  She quickly understood Sirius's emptiness.  This house slowly ate away at him as it did her.

She had gone to the far ends of the earth searching for some peace but every where she went she was reminded of her lost friends and family.  She always felt Sirius's pain in the back of her mind, but she pushed it further and further until she could pretend that his pain didn't exist.  Perhaps this was her punishment for neglecting those few who had loved her.

Boredom and monotony had been all she had experienced in the days of alone at the house.  The only excitement she had came when she received a letter from Dumbledore telling her there would an Order meeting in a week.  He instructed her to prepare to introduce herself to new and old members of the Order.  Her excitement, though, quickly faded as her thoughts went to what the members would think.  She grew nervous at just the thought of seeing old faces and began cleaning even more, as a way to reduce stress.  She had made her way through the second formal dining room with no change in her feelings about the meeting.

What if all the members would feel the way Remus did?  That she could have prevented Sirius's loss, as well as helped plan other Order business.  Having an empithimagus would surely help the Order in knowing if anyone had turned to the dark side.  But then again she was no help in the original Order; she had not even sensed Peter's betrayal.

The week had seemed like a year but finally the house was filled with laughter and pranks again, marking the return of the Weasleys to Grimmauld Place.  Harry came back and was much happier than before.  His pain and guilt of losing Sirius had faded some; at least she had done one thing right so far.

Molly had started cooking right away; the entire Order would be at the next meeting meaning there was a need for a lot of food.  Elizabeth tried to help but she was hopeless in the kitchen, the pie she attempted to bake turned out like a rock.  Molly had ushered her out the kitchen, telling her she appreciated her help but cooked much better in solitude.

And so Elizabeth had returned to cleaning, but this time she was not alone.  Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny all gave her their company.  They worked in silence, with tension still lingering in the air.  It was interesting to read the youth, though she did not do it often for she knew it was an invasion of their privacy, but there were times she could not help it.  Reading emotions was what made her, it would not be silenced.  There were doubts in their minds of if they could continue with the way they were.  There were doubts of each other, and their emotions towards one another.  She could see the years of childhood still in them, but adulthood was a mere step away.  And there was something going on that none of them expected, but many desired.

**The girls were often off in corners together, cleaning and whispering.  Every so often they look up at me and their curiosity bombarding me.  It is not an unpleasant feeling, simply one that causes my own curiosity to bubble.  It is times like this I wish I could read minds rather than simply emotions.  Emotions only tell half the story.  The other half is words, that which I cannot read.  And I can feel their interest in me grow each coming day until it finally came to an end…

I was cornered by the two girls one morning before I headed downstairs to ask Molly if she needed any help.  Each girl desired to be a woman, and knowing the emotions of their mates was a necessary step in their journey.  If only they could see that the answers were in front of their eyes, and not in my head.

"Please Elizabeth, you have to help us," Hermione said in a hushed whisper, and Ginny nodded her head furiously.

"You must.  I've wanted to know since my first year.  And now I can.  Please Elizabeth," the younger girl said, also in a hushed whisper, both afraid the object of their desires would interrupt their badgering.

"I cannot read them without their permission.  Such a request is against my morals.  And even if I did, I have no right to tell you girls what they feel.  It is not my place."

I hated being stern, but I could not simply fold into the girl's silly pleas.  They had to learn of love the hard way, like everyone else in the world.

"You don't know how hard it is. You could probably read boy's emotions like that," Hermione said as she snapped her finger, "and know if they were a hopeless cause or not.  I've been trying to get Ron to notice me for the last six years.  But he's so thick I'm afraid he may never realize I might be what he wants.  If I knew I was in his emotions, in his heart I could know if I can win this battle."

Hermione's voice was full of despair, as was she.  And I could not help but want to help.

"And I've been through so many boyfriends I've lost count, and Harry still hasn't noticed that I can barely breathe with him around.  Everyone can see but him.  If you just help us, tell us if there is even reason to hope."

"There is always reason to hope.  Emotions are strange things.  They are constantly changing, from one day to the next.  There is no way to tell if the way they feel for you will change between today and tomorrow."

She looked at the floor, emotions were what her life was made of, and yet she knew so little of them.

"We understand Elizabeth, but love never changes.  It always stays the same; it might get lost sometimes, buts always there.  You can never stop love, it keeps on going.  There's a muggle term 'soul mates,' people you are destined to be with, people who know you like the back of their hand.  Soul mates are never forgotten, they're always with you.  You have to tell us if that love is in their hearts, whether or not they know it exists is an entirely different matter; we just want to know if there is even a chance.  If they're our soul mates…"

Hermione was filled with more wisdom than her age should permit but she was right.  You know soul mates; you can feel them, even when you're not allowed to.  They simply needed to gaze within themselves to find the answer to their questions.

"Trust your heart girls.  It is all that is guaranteed in this world.  That is all I will tell you without betraying the unspoken trust I share with Harry and Ron."

I knew the truth; I could feel the boy's emotions around the girls.  Each one's emotions would begin to waver and engulf me.  The truth of childhood would lead them into the love of a lifetime.

Hermione and Ginny both giggled with delight and swallowed her in a never-ending embrace.

"Thank you Elizabeth, you're the best," two squealed as they hurried down the stairs to make use of my words.

I remembered such a love, such happiness.  The girls had been wrong, though, I could not simply tell if a boy liked me with a snap of her fingers.  Love is one of the hardest things to read, nearly impossible if you do not concentrate with all your being.  It is rare for an empithimagus to master reading love.  I had barely done it.  Even now I am no expert.

Still, the one boy I did desire was the one boy I could never read.  Werewolves are interesting creatures.  They are cunning and brilliant, never letting anyone into their minds; even on nights when the moon is not full.  That is why I could never read Remus.  That was why I once feared him before I loved him…

~~~

The book fell from her hands with a thud.  The words on the page still not fully sinking into her head.  It had to be wrong.  There was a mistake, that had to be it, there just had to be.  But the explanation did answer all her questions.  But what she learned scared her.

She had liked Remus since the day she had laid on eyes on him.  He had been standing with Sirius at Platform 9¾ waiting for their other companions to arrive.  His clothes were slightly worn but his eyes were so warm, like fresh honey waiting to be devoured.  He had greeted her like a gentleman by kissing her hand, he was always so kind to her and she greedily accepted it.  Kindness was something she had not often been shown, especially by strangers.

But now, with this new knowledge she was scared.  She did not know what to do.

She picked up her book and went to the back corner of the library, hoping to not be disturbed.  She had many things to ponder.

Everyone had secrets, some better kept than others.  She also had her share.  No one knew she was gifted with the power of reading emotions.  Dumbledore had explained that empithimagus's had been persecuted throughout history and she would be much safer keeping such a power unknown from the world.  She had not even told Sirius, though he shared all with her.  Her eyes were the only thing which could give away her secret and so she avoided making eye contact.  Dumbledore had also given her a simple spell she could use to disguise her eyes.  No one knew her secret, perhaps it was the same with Remus.

She picked up the book and read the passage again:

Empithimagus are gifted with the power of reading emotions.  A simple glance and they are able to see into a person's subconscious.  There are few empithimagus who mature to ages where they can make a change in the wizarding community.  Generally they die at a young from the pain of losing a loved one.  Empithimagus also have the natural ability of legilimecny and are able to break the barrier of occulemancy without training.  Even with these advantages, there are exceptions to whom empithimagus can read.  As a rule, empithimagus cannot read dark creatures such as werewolves, vampires, etc.  These creatures are not fully human and therefore cannot be read.

The last words were what scared her the most.  'Are not human', meaning they lack something human, something which made their hearts beat, something which allowed them to live.  She had found a moon calendar and compared the days of Remus's sickness to those on the chart.  Everything fit, but still her mind could not grasp the fact.  The boy she had desired for nearly five years was a werewolf, one of the most feared creatures in all of history.

She closed the book and left it on the table, she had no time.  She had find Remus, she had to hear it from his mouth to truly believe it.  She opened the door to exit the library and fell back as she ran into something.

"Elizabeth, are you ok?"  He said as he gave her a hand to pull her up.

All her fears banished as she looked into his eyes.  She knew why his eyes were such now, they were wolf eyes.

"Remus, we must talk."  She was afraid to be alone with him, but inside she knew that he could never harm her, intentional or otherwise.  The look in her eyes told him she was serious and so he led her quickly to a nearby abandoned classroom.

"What is wrong Elizabeth?"

She had no idea of where to begin without revealing her own secret.  Maybe that was the only course of action she had, to share her most well kept secret to learn his.

She knew she liked Remus, more than just as one of her brother's best friends.  Sometimes she could look down the Gryffindor table and see him laughing with his fellow marauders, his eyes lit of up with happiness.  And sometimes he would walk her to class, but only when the Slytherins were upset over a recent prank the Marauders had pulled.  It was to ensure her safety of course.  She was the only sibling of all the Marauders and therefore an easy target for revenge.  He even told her that a boy would come along and sweep her off her feet when he found her crying in darkest corner of the castle over a boy who she had thought had broken her heart.  It was then she fully realized that she wanted that boy to be him—Remus Lupin.  Even with the new knowledge she possessed she wanted the same boy to tell her she was beautiful.  Perhaps what she learned meant nothing at all…

"I've kept a secret Remus.  I should have told you a long time ago but I was afraid what you might think.  I know we all have secrets and maybe it's time for me to share mine…"

"I know…"

Two words escaped his lips and they leave me in complete shock.  He knows?

"I noticed how you get sometimes, like when Sirius was mad I could see it in you or when someone was upset you seemed to share her pain.  It was too precise to be a coincidence.  It looked like you felt their pain too.  I did research and I came upon what you are, an empithimagus.  I noticed your eyes too Elizabeth.  How they're never the same shade, like a painter's palette," He said as he lifted her chin so they were staring into the other's eyes.

"Dumbledore said people would not understand.  That because of this they'll fear me…"

I try to find reasons for hiding my secrets.  If I had known he would be so accepting I would have shared my burden years ago.  
"People can be crazy Elizabeth; you should have nothing to fear."  He leaned in slowly, brushing away a piece of hair that had fallen from her braid.

Her heart beat so loudly she could have sworn Remus could hear it.  She didn't know what she was doing or what was going on.  She had dreamt of this moment for years but actually having him this close caused her mind to stop working.  All she could do was lean into Remus's kiss.

It was everything she had imagined, but she slowly broke the kiss remembering the reason she had brought Remus to the abandoned classroom.  She wanted it to go on, to feel Remus's hands against her skin but she had to tell him first.

She leaned into his ear, ensuring no one but Remus heard, "I know your secret too Remus."

I know I am not the most articulate person, but I should have at least said something before rushing into a conversation about knowing he was a werewolf.

He stiffened and leaned away from me, "But, how?"

"I can not read you Remus.  When I look at you, you look like people did before my powers showed themselves.  I decided to do some research and it turns out empithimagus cannot read dark creatures…"

His gaze turned to the floor, I knew he was hurting from the news I had given him.  I did not need the ability to read him to comprehend his pain.

"Elizabeth, if you don't want anything to do with me its ok.  Just don't tell anyone.  I mean Sirius, James, and Peter know and Dumbledore and the teachers know but none of the other students.  Dumbledore wanted me to keep it quiet.  And I'll stay away from you if you want…"

He slowly got up from his perch upon the top of the desk.  How could he assume such things?  I had just felt for the first time in my life something truly magical and he was offering to take it away for ever.  My heart ached from hearing such a thought.

I grabbed his hand.  I would not let him go this easily.

"I am not scared of you Remus.  I don't see you as a dark creature.  And I won't tell anyone about your secret as long as you keep mine.  And," I paused, there was one more condition he had to meet, "you continue to kiss me like that…"

Again my words seemed rushed but I have stated all I mean to.

I watched his expression change to nervousness and his cheeks grow pink but I would not let the moment escape us.  I leaned in again and captured Remus's lips with a kiss.  I did not care if Remus was a werewolf, it was not who he was.  He could not even help it.  Remus was caring and wonderful.  He had probably already faced enough animosity without help from me.  Remus was a friend, and friends accepted one another regardless of circumstances.  And she and Remus would be the best of friends…

  
~~~

wow…that only took me like three years to write!  Ok, so it might not have been that long but I really struggled with this chapter.  I have conquered writer's block (though I have heard once you've had it, ur more susceptible to it in the future, hopefully that wont be the case :).

***was the place I started to write again and a change in the writing style can be noticed (I started using first person perspective instead of third…I think).  So if it seems a lil off its b/c I had to change sumthing in the way I wrote to conquer writer's block.

~If u don't like hermione/ron or harry/ginny pairing don't worry, there wont be a lot of it in the fic (I just had to do sumthing fun to break my writer's block).  Back to the real plot in the next chapter ;)

~and now to my reviewers:  
**psychonut**: muuaaahhhhaaa…the jokes on u, I had the real remus hidden away the whole time…u replaced a dummy w/a dummy!! Lol, thanks for ur review (it made me laugh :)  oh and add more to "Fall from Grace"-it's been a while ;)

**bell**: here u are :o), hope this will motivate u to post sum more soon too (just don't take as long as I did ;)

**jkw588**:  hopefully things will start to look up for Elizabeth in future chapters ;)  hope u update soon too!  I want to know what's going on w/ Remus and Elle!

As always, please review :)

song credit: "walk on the ocean" by John Mayer


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